Recently we have seen a lot of codes used to unlock our products being offered for discounted prices. Almost all of them are bought using stolen credit cards. These codes will all be blocked by our systems and you will have to try to get your money back from the seller, we are unable to assist in these matters. Do be very careful when you see a deal that is almost too good to be true, it probably is too good to be true.

Unable to get CumulusX working

Recommended Posts

Guess I must be a duffer, but I seem unable to get CumulusX to work at all.

I've downloaded version 1.6 from Peter Lürkens' site, put it in a temp folder on my desktop as suggested, but when I run the install.cmd I get a command prompt window for less than a half second before it closes, and nothing in FSX changes.

I'm no computer whiz and my machine was built by an engineer friend last summer, so I don't know if all these .NET Framework installations could be the trouble.

I'm running Windows XP Professional SP3 on an Athlon 7850 dual core 2.8 GHz CPU, and just installed FSX Gold (X Deluxe plus Acceleration) on my machine in the 'D' partition of my hard drive ('C,D and E' partitions to reduce seek time). It runs very well, but I'd love to do some real soaring in FSX, and hope I can, with some assistance, get CumulusX running.

Share this post

Link to post

Before I try these steps, a couple of questions, at the risk of trying your patience:

1) I've had a couple of disasters with downloaded aircraft from Simviation that came with installers, they made FSX unplayable and I've had to reinstall the whole thing a couple of times now since I had no clue how to undo whatever the installers did...how do I uninstall FSX-SP2, assuming I get CumulusX in and working...will it show in my 'Add/Remove Programs' in my control panel?

2) I'm running Windows XP Pro and AFAIK there are no options to 'run as admin' available, I'm wondering if the difference here between XP Pro and Vista/Win7 will be significant.

3) Since I have FSX installed on the 'D' partition of my hard drive, should I put the CumulusX files I extract to a temp folder on that 'D' partition before trying to install it? I've already tried doing just that before I wrote you and got nowhere as my OP detailed; perhaps removing Acceleration and installing SP2 as you suggest will do the trick. I can try all this, but I'm a bit hesitant about messing it up.

Of course, none of this is life threatening...worst case, I screw it all up and lose a couple of hours uninstalling and reinstalling all of FSX but I hope to avoid another round of that if possible...and of course I'd love to get some proper soaring time in which will make the effort more than worthwhile. I was pretty let down when I tried soaring in a 2-33 at Elmira (where I got my glider license in 1979 at the Schweizer factory school!) on a hot summer day with no lift to be found in the unmodded FSX...I was delighted when I found CumulusX, and hope it will let me relive some fun times

Share this post

Link to post

1) ...how do I uninstall FSX-SP2, assuming I get CumulusX in and working...will it show in my 'Add/Remove Programs' in my control panel?

2) I'm running Windows XP Pro and AFAIK there are no options to 'run as admin' available, ...

3) Since I have FSX installed on the 'D' partition ....

Hi,

1) There will be an Uninstall-option in Add/Remove Programs, specifically for FSX-SP2

2) Just log in as administrator, if not anyway

3) not relevant, but don't place the extracted archive on a network drive. I had a problem with that once.

The background is that CumulusX! is compiled against an FSX-library that comes specifically with SP2 and remains on the system even after uninstall of SP2. Only if FSX is uninstalled entirely, it is eventually removed, too. As MS doesn't grant a license for redistribution of this library, users are urged to go this complicated way.

best regards,

Peter

Share this post

Link to post

FYI having all the dot-net installs is normal, the more the merrier. They are absolutely designed to co-exist. Software is typically designed to look for some version of dot-net and this is what has to be installed. The (largely successful) idea was to get away from only having *one* version of those libraries installed leaving you in an impossible situation where some new program needs a new version but other software on your machine is incompatible with that and needs the old one, etc.

The Control Program add/remove programs menu works very well for FSX Acceleration and SP2 so it's less grief than you would be right to suspect. I just did an install of FSX onto a new PC and went through the FSX+, FSXSP1+, FSXSP2+, FSXSP2-, Accel+ without a hitch. As mentioned the SP2 install and removal (if you have Acceleration) leaves behind pre-req software that some addons will need (including Cx).

To check the install of Cx you can

1) look in FSXBASE\Modules\ and check there's a CumulusX folder (that contains CumulusX.exe) - this is quick and easy

2) go find the exe.xml file and check it has an entry for CumulusX - this is a bit more complicated. Basically you go to the little 'Run' entry box on your 'Start Programs' menu and type "%APPDATA%\Microsoft\FSX" (without the quotes) and look in there for a file called "exe.xml".

B21

Share this post

Link to post

I removed Acceleration, downloaded SP2 and tried running the .msi, but it failed, telling me I first need to install SP1. Should I install 1 and 2, then CX, then remove SP1 and 2, or should I install them and just uninstall 2 after installing CX but before reinstalling Acceleration?

Apologies for this saga but I want to do this right...

Share this post

Link to post

I removed Acceleration, downloaded SP2 and tried running the .msi, but it failed, telling me I first need to install SP1. Should I install 1 and 2, then CX, then remove SP1 and 2, or should I install them and just uninstall 2 after installing CX but before reinstalling Acceleration?

Seems, that uninstall ACC has uninstalled SP1 (which is on the same DVD) as well. Indeed, SP2 requires SP1. Before downloading it too, you may check your DVD for a standalone SP1 version, though.

Uninstalling SP1 is not required before ACC-Re-install. Only SP2 has to be removed.

best regards,

Peter

Share this post

Link to post

I've installed SP1 and 2 with no problem, but I'm getting the same result as my first try. When I right click on the install.cmd file and select 'run,' I get a command prompt window for about a half a second before it closes, nothing else happens. I'm stumped, sorry.

PS- if there's any question of administrator rights, I'm the sole user and only account on this machine, listed as Computer Administrator in XP's user profiles.

Share this post

Link to post

go to the extracted folder "modules\CumulusX!" and double click "CumulusX.exe". Check if the CumulusX!-program executes. You may have to look at the taskbar for a minímized program window.

If CumulusX.exe has started properly, close it again and copy the entire content of the archive, i.e. both of the two directory branches "modules" and "SimObjects", to your FSX-installation folder. Then go to the "modules\CumulusX!"-folder in your FSX-installation and execute CumulusX.exe again. Open its tool-menu and toggle the option "AutoStart" off and on again. This edits FSX' startup files that the CumulusX! module is executed automatically, when FSX is started.

Share this post

Link to post

This application has failed to start because the application configuration is incorrect. Reinstalling the application may fix this problem.

That's crazy, as it means, that there is still a library missing. Either it's some of the dotnet-things, or the correct SimConnect.DLL is still not found. I assume that you have currently FSX-SP2 installed. Maybe, there went something wrong with the installation of before that.

Share this post

Link to post

This application has failed to start because the application configuration is incorrect. Reinstalling the application may fix this problem.

That's crazy, as it means, that there is still a library missing. Either it's some of the dotnet-things, or the correct SimConnect.DLL is still not found. I assume that you have currently FSX-SP2 installed. Maybe, there went something wrong with the installation of before that.

Share this post

Link to post

Before I do, though, is there any way that having FSX installed on the 'D' partition of my hard drive could be the trouble?

Also, I'm using the repair function to check the dotnet 3.5 SP1 but as I mentioned originally, I tried installing NET 2.0 Runtime as the .pdf manual suggests, but running the dotnetfx.exe failed, showing an incompatibility with a previously installed version. Upon checking, my 'add/remove programs' list shows I have .NET Framework 1.1, 2.0 SP2, 3.0 SP2 and 3.5 SP1 all installed.

And as B21 mentioned:

FYI having all the dot-net installs is normal, the more the merrier. They are absolutely designed to co-exist. Software is typically designed to look for some version of dot-net and this is what has to be installed. The (largely successful) idea was to get away from only having *one* version of those libraries installed leaving you in an impossible situation where some new program needs a new version but other software on your machine is incompatible with that and needs the old one, etc.

The check unearthed no problems, so my .NET Framework 3.5 SP1 should be fine (still no results trying the install.cmd or CumulusX.exe, FWIW)

I could install everything on my 'C' drive, but I think it's a shame if I have to do that, as I only have about 43gb room there but close to 150gb on that 'D' partition available...but I'll do it if need be

Once this is settled, I'll uninstall everything, then follow your install instructions.

Share this post

Link to post

this certainly the hardest case I had ever. I'm almost sure that there is something messed up with your WinSxS-configuration, but I have no chance to figure it out. It has to do with the FSX-part for sure, as the HelloWorld is running. Just by curiosity: Do you have a second PC where you could try?

You can install FSX from DVD there, FSX-SP1 and -SP2. There is no need to activate the test install, it is limited for half an hour, and multiplayer is disabled. Otherwise it will work normally. I'm using such a configuration for testing with alternative operating system installations.

It may turn out a computer issue, i.e. a garbled PC installation, likely something to do with SimConnect.DLL. However, it is extremely risky to fumble with the WinSxS configuration by hand, as it can easily crash your complete PC installation.

If you look into the directory c:\windows\system\WinSxs there should be up to four sub-directories like this:

Share this post

Link to post

Surprise, it seems to work. Now it wants to know which installation directory to use...should I let it use the main Microsoft Flight Simulator X directory (depicts this as the open folder) or more localized, as C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Microsoft Flight Simulator X\SimObjects\Misc?

Nice to be seeing some progress!

EDIT-

OK, call me impulsive but I let it do what it wanted and install to the main FSX directory. Lo and behold, there's now a Modules folder and Sim Objects folder as should be. I uninstalled SP2, reinstalled Acceleration and it configured fine, CumulusX now autostarts with FSX as it ought to.

I'll be setting up a nice hot summer day shortly to try some thermalling in some of the cool downloaded machines from Simviation and Wolfgang Piper's fsglider.de site.

Thanks kindly for your help here, Peter, I look forward to lots of fun soaring hours

Glenn Horowitz

Share this post

Link to post

the installation location is ok, the SimObjects-branch has to go there anyway. It simplifies also future update options if there is a standard installation directory, and for the installation script it's easiest to look out for an FSX installation.

Interesting to proof that there was this left-over SimConnect-entry in the WinSxS that caused the trouble. Yet I'm curious how this could happen. Maybe it has originated from one of the suspicious packages that were not possible to be removed completely anymore. I now that some software has a concealed SimConnect-installer in their distribution, despite the fact the re-distribution is explicitly excluded by MS license conditions.

Anyway, have fun and I'm happy that up to now every seriously interested person has got his installation ok at the end. And, btw, your persistency is remarkable.

regards,

Peter

Share this post

Link to post

the installation location is ok, the SimObjects-branch has to go there anyway. It simplifies also future update options if there is a standard installation directory, and for the installation script it's easiest to look out for an FSX installation.

Interesting to proof that there was this left-over SimConnect-entry in the WinSxS that caused the trouble. Yet I'm curious how this could happen. Maybe it has originated from one of the suspicious packages that were not possible to be removed completely anymore. I now that some software has a concealed SimConnect-installer in their distribution, despite the fact the re-distribution is explicitly excluded by MS license conditions.

Anyway, have fun and I'm happy that up to now every seriously interested person has got his installation ok at the end. And, btw, your persistency is remarkable.

regards,

Peter

Well thank you for your kind words, Peter!

I'm just happy to be done messing with install trouble. I went straightway to Chilhowee Gliderport here in Tennessee, put in some moderate wind over the ridge by the field and was gratified when I was able to get my first 1000 feet gain in the stock DG-808. I quit early since leaking daylight was making my TrackIR misbehave, but I'll certainly fly more later, perhaps in a downloaded Libelle

I appreciate your comment but in this case I had to persist. I was a professional pilot for 20 years, but in 2006 had to stop due to developing multiple sclerosis. I'd hoped one day to be able to do some soaring at Chilhowee or Eagleville here, since almost all of my time was in powered aircraft and those fields aren't far from me.

Unfortunately, the MS has disabled me to the point of being unable to walk, and my left (mouse) hand barely works, so getting into a real sailplane again is very unlikely. Being able to at least do some virtual soaring is a delight, one I was not going to give up easily even with the problems I had getting it running!

Between FSX' powered planes, your CumulusX mod that also makes it a fine soaring simulation, and the superb WW I flight sim Rise Of Flight, I can now indulge my aviation addiction at will, from contemporary powered craft to soaring to vintage flying and combat...this is great stuff!

Share this post

Link to post

I clearly have lots to learn about optimizing the weather setup, even with a 24kt wind almost perpendicular to the slope at Chilhowee, I'm not getting much lift...but I AM getting lift, so things are moving along. I spent an hour at about 2500 feet AGL hunting lift in one of Wolfgang Piper's ASK-21s...felt good, and very satisfying to gain altitude above the height I released at, even if it wasn't of the hat-sucker variety yet.

I'll have to try a bunch of different parameters, the manual is well written, but a bit long on theory and leaves me a bit at a loss on practical use. No matter, I'll learn as I go

Glenn

Share this post

Link to post

good news this got sorted out. The *ridge* lift is at its strongest quite close to the slope, and a 15-20knot wind will enable you to fly along the ridge at very high speed. If you pull up (or, worse, try and circle) the lift will feel a lot weaker - in real ridge lift you can sometime float up to 2500 agl but here the ridgelift will be very weak and the only reasons for doing it would be to either take a break from the pounding down below or to gain height to fish around for a thermal...

I flew the NE ridges of the USA for a long time (in a real glider) and I reckon you could ridge soar from Chilowee all the way up to somewhere in PA, like Mifflin or Williamsport.

B21

Share this post

Link to post

Just to check: in setting up conditions for ridge lift, I used 'user defined' weather rather than the 'fair weather' theme, to allow for a decent wind velocity and direction (about 310 degrees at 24 kt in the Chilhowee example). Can I assume that CumulusX will take whatever weather data is used to implement lift as it sees fit?

In this line, will it help to use user defined weather at desert strips like Minden NV or Estrella Sailport AZ and set it for fairly hot, like 105 F with scattered clouds on a summer day, with light wind? Reading the manual, it indicates you should use the 'fair weather' theme for setting up convective lift, just ensuring I'm not screwing it up by using 'user defined.'

Glenn

Share this post

Link to post

Just to check: in setting up conditions for ridge lift, I used 'user defined' weather rather than the 'fair weather' theme, to allow for a decent wind velocity and direction (about 310 degrees at 24 kt in the Chilhowee example). Can I assume that CumulusX will take whatever weather data is used to implement lift as it sees fit?

In this line, will it help to use user defined weather at desert strips like Minden NV or Estrella Sailport AZ and set it for fairly hot, like 105 F with scattered clouds on a summer day, with light wind? Reading the manual, it indicates you should use the 'fair weather' theme for setting up convective lift, just ensuring I'm not screwing it up by using 'user defined.'

Hi Glenn,

If you use "user defined", go to the "advanced settings" and make sure to define wind aloft, too. Otherwise, teh aloft settings maybe a residue of the previous weather conditions.

Temperature is actually not relevant for CumulusX!. Relevant paremeters are season, geographic location, wind and cloud situtation, and few landclasses. There is a table in the manual, which explains the impact of cloud situation on development of thermals.

Which makes the story a bit more complicated is that there are two sorts of weather data sources in FSX, "global weather" and "weather stations". CumulusX! prefers the weather station, however uses the global conditions, too, for deciding on the development of the thermal clouds, in the case that local conditions say that only blue thermals exist. In this case CumulusX! still produces thermal clouds, if the global condition has an appropriate cloud situation. This is important to know, as FSX keeps the global conditions whatever it was before, when downloading real weather from the internet. By this you can control if CumulusX! tends more to blue thermals by setting "clear skies" prior to weather download, or more to thermal clouds by choosing fair weather beforehand.

Using fair weather theme for soaring is just a very simple way to set up a nicely soarable weather situation. However winds aloft are relatively strong, making it more edifficult to find the lower end of a thermal by projecting downwards from the cloud, because of the relatively strong leaning. Instead you may choose fair weather first, after that switching to user defined and edit the wind layers aloft to weaker strength.